Russia Restricts Telegram Access to Promote State-Controlled App Max, Potential Fines Exceed $820,000
Published
Key Takeaways
- Service Disruption: Russia's communication regulator, Roskomnadzor, confirmed it is deliberately slowing down Telegram, affecting nearly 90 million users across the country.
- Legal Pressure: Moscow courts have initiated legal action against Telegram for its failure to remove content deemed extremist, with potential fines exceeding $820,000.
- State Alternative: The move coincides with Russia's promotion of Max, a government-backed national messaging platform intended to replace foreign services.
Russia has escalated its efforts to control digital communications by implementing widespread service disruptions against the popular messaging app, Telegram. The country's communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, has confirmed it is deliberately slowing the service, affecting nearly 90 million local users.Â
Russia's campaign to restrain Telegram is part of a broader strategy to assert greater control over the information space.
Push for a State-Controlled Messaging App
The Telegram restrictions in Russia are unfolding as the Kremlin actively promotes its own national messaging service, according to local news agency TASS. Officials are encouraging citizens to adopt Max, a government-backed platform developed by the creator of the social network VKontakte.Â
The official reason for the move is Telegram's alleged failure to comply with the nation’s law by not removing content authorities deem extremist or pornographic, and the app could be fined 64 million rubles (roughly $820,000), TASS reported.Â
Reports say this new state-controlled messaging app is modeled after China's WeChat and is being positioned as a secure alternative to foreign services.Â
Widespread Impact and Internal Criticism
Data indicate that throttling has caused significant service slowdowns across 15 regions. Officials in the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, warned that disrupting Telegram could pose safety risks, as many residents rely on the platform for critical news and emergency alerts.Â
Pavel Durov, Telegram's founder, criticized the restrictions as an authoritarian maneuver aimed at forcing users onto a platform designed for state surveillance and censorship. Pro-war military bloggers, who use Telegram for logistics and communication, have also voiced their opposition.Â
In 2024, Russia announced blocking Signal for allegedly violating local anti-terrorism laws, and Signal was targeted by Russian cyberespionage in a fake QR code campaign approximately six months later.
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